An edge connector for receiving a first circuit board, circuit card, etc. comprises a housing having a circuit board receiving groove. A plurality of electrical contacts are arranged in the board receiving groove. An ejector member is provided for ejecting the board from the housing, the ejector member is translucent or transparent. A light emitter is optically coupled to the ejector member, so that when the light emitter is lit, the light from the light emitter is transmitted through the translucent or transparent ejector member to provide a visual indication which can be seen by the person inserting the circuit board into the connector.
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1. An edge connector for receiving a first circuit board comprising:
a housing having a circuit board receiving groove; a plurality of electrical contacts arranged in said board receiving groove; an ejector member for ejecting said board from said housing, said ejector having first and second portions on opposite sides of a pivot point and said ejector member being at least translucent, said first portion for contact by a human finger; and a light emitter positioned immediately adjacent said second portion of said ejector and optically coupled but physically separated from said ejector member, so that when said light emitter is lit, the light from said light emitter is transmitted through said at least translucent ejector member thereby creating light in said first portion.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to card edge connectors adapted to provide visual status indication.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Developments
Various card edge connectors are known in the art. Typically the front edge of a circuit board is inserted in a longitudinal groove of an insulated housing. Adjacent that groove there are a plurality of contacts with arcuate conductive sections arranged in side by side relation adjacent the groove so that conductive pads on the printed wiring board contact the arcuate sections of the contacts as the board is inserted into the groove. Typically such connectors employ a latching member to lock the printed wiring board in place and an ejector for aiding in removing the card from the connector. In some cases the latch and ejector are formed from a single member. U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,649 to Yu et al., is illustrative of such a connector and is incorporated by reference herein. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/621,214 to C. Peterson et al., filed Mar. 22, 1996 for a Locking Ejecting Device For Edge Card Connector and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/588,661 to Yip et al. filed Jan. 19, 1996, for a Printed Circuit Board Connector With Locking Ejector, further illustrate such a connector and are incorporated by reference herein.
There is a need to have a visual indication that a device, such as a circuit board or memory card, is properly inserted in the connector and/or that the device is operating properly. There have been numerous efforts to develop such visual indications as illustrated in the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,377,315, 4,869,681, 5,359,492, 5,644,470, 5,801,926 and 5,822,196. Most of these approaches add complexity and cost to the connector.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,041 a jack is provided with an opening that allows light from a light emitter to enter the jacks cavity and emerge from the front opening, as by the insertion of a transparent plug.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an edge connector is provided for receiving a first circuit board. The connector is adapted to provide visual status indication. The connector includes a housing having a circuit board receiving groove and a plurality of electrical contacts arranged in the circuit board receiving groove. An ejector member is provided for ejecting the board from the housing. The ejector member is preferably formed from a translucent or transparent material. A light emitter is optically coupled to the ejector member, so that when the light emitter is lit, the light from the light emitter is transmitted through the translucent or transparent ejector member to provide a visual status indication, which can be seen by the person inserting the circuit board into the connector.
In one preferred embodiment the housing is mounted on a second circuit board and the light emitter comprises an LED mounted on the second circuit board adjacent the ejector member. In another preferred embodiment the LED is surface mounted on the second circuit board adjacent the ejector member. In yet another preferred embodiment the LED is mounted in a hole in the second circuit board adjacent the ejector member. In a still further preferred embodiment the LED comprises part of the connector and is mounted on the housing adjacent to the ejector member. In yet another preferred embodiment the LED is mounted on the second circuit board next to the housing so that the ejector member is coupled to the LED when the first circuit board is loaded in the housing. In a further preferred embodiment the LED comprises part of the connector and is mounted on the housing so that the ejector member is coupled to the LED when the first circuit board is inserted in the connector.
Most preferably the ejector member is a unitary member which may also comprise a latching member, which locks the first circuit board in place when it is inserted into the connector.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide an edge connector which provides visual status indication in a simple and cost effective manner.
In the accompanying drawings corresponding reference numbers refer to similar components. The foregoing aspects and other features of the invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
While the present invention will be described in connection with preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
By way of example the invention will be described by reference to an edge connector of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,649 to Yu et al., which is incorporated by reference herein. However, the invention is applicable to a wide range of edge connectors and it is not limited to the particular design shown in the Yu et al. patent.
Referring to the
Extending from the bottom side of the housing are leads as at 32 and 34 and non-conductive locating pins as at 36 and 38 both of which engage a mother board (not shown). The housing also includes a first upstanding member 40 which has a groove 41 aligned with and substantially the same width as groove 15 and a second upstanding member 42 which also has a groove 43 aligned with and substantially the same width as groove 15. Tabs 44A,B and 46A,B extend from members 40 and 42 respectively. The grooves 41 and 43 also extend vertically through these tabs. The housing also includes stand-offs as at 48 and 50 which bear against the mother board when the housing is engaged with the mother board. Finally, the edge connector includes a first latching member shown generally at numeral 52 and a second latching member shown generally at 54.
Referring to
Referring to
As the printed wiring board 23 is pushed into slot 15, the edge 24 of the board engages the ejector hook 58 of each latch member 52 and 54 causing the latch members to pivot on projections 60. As the latch members 52 and 54 pivot, fingers 70 slide over tabs 44A,B and 46A,B. The fingers 70 engage the raised ribs on the tabs 44A,B, 46A,B and cam these tabs inwardly so that the edges of grooves 41 and 43 are pressed against and clamp against the opposed lateral sides of the printed wiring board to thereby securely hold the printed wiring board in the connector. As the latch moves to the closed position, the projections 66 snap into the grooves 47, so that each latch is locked in the closed position. The latching mechanism also includes a head section shown generally at numeral 78. In the locked position, the front nose 80 of the head section will engage a recess in the printed wiring board so that the board is properly located and secured in position. The latching mechanism will ordinarily be manipulated by means of the finger tab 82, to rotate the latch and eject the board from the connector.
In accordance with the present invention the edge connector 1 is adapted to provide visual status indication in a simple and cost effective manner. Examples of visual status indication, for example, could include indications that the circuit card or board is properly inserted or that the card or board is operating properly. Other visual indications as desired could also be provided. Preferably the edge connector is a circuit card edge connector.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an edge connector 1 is provided for receiving a first circuit board or card 23. The terms board or card are used herein interchangeably. Typically they are boards, cards or modules such as printed wiring boards containing one or more electronic devices. They may be rigid or flexible as desired.
The connector 1 is adapted to provide visual status indication. The connector 1 includes a housing 10 having a circuit board receiving groove 15 and a plurality of electrical contacts 29 and/or 30 arranged in the circuit board receiving groove. A latch and/or ejector member 52 and 54 is provided for ejecting the board 23 from the housing 10. Due to the close stacking of connectors 1 on a motherboard 102, it is often difficult to see a board mounted LED or to determine which LED corresponds to which connector 1. Therefore, the ejector member 52 and/or 54 is preferably formed from a translucent or transparent material. A light emitter 100 is optically coupled to the ejector member 52 and/or 54, so that when the light emitter 100 is lit, the light from the light emitter is transmitted through the translucent or transparent ejector member to provide a visual status indication. The light emitter 100 preferably is an LED (light emitting diode), however, any desired light source can be utilized.
The description which follows deals with the ejector member 52 of the connector 1. While generally only one of the latch members 52 or 54 will be coupled to a light emitter 100 for simplicity and cost effectiveness, if desired both latch members can be made of transparent or translucent material and both can be coupled to the same or different light emitters 100.
Referring to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring to
Referring now to
In this embodiment the emitter 130 is spaced apart from the ejector member by a larger amount than in the previous embodiments but it is still optically coupled thereto even if somewhat obliquely. Mounting the emitter 130 in this manner may even eliminate the need for the ejector member to be optically coupled thereto since the placement of the emitter 130 on the housing may by itself provide a visual status indication. However, it is preferred that the ejector member be transparent or translucent and be optically coupled as described in order to prevent blockage of the visual status indication by the circuit board 23 and the electronic components thereon.
Referring now to
Most preferably the ejector member 54 is a unitary member which may also comprises a latching end 86, which locks the first circuit board in place when it is inserted into the connector.
In the embodiments of the invention wherein the light emitter is mounted to the housing it can be mounted by any desired conventional means. Optically coupled is intended to be used herein in its broadest sense to mean that light emitted by the light emitter is received by the ejector member and transmitted through the translucent or transparent ejector member.
While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation of the appended claims.
Crighton, Alan David, Ingram, Deborah A., Northey, William A., Holler, Ronald P.
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Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Jun 11 1999 | Berg Technology, Inc | FCI Americas Technology, Inc | CHANGE OF NAME SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 026064 | /0565 | |
Oct 27 2000 | FCI Americas Technology, Inc. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Feb 06 2001 | CRIGHTON, ALAN DAVID | Berg Technology, Inc | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 011554 | /0156 | |
Feb 12 2001 | HOLLER, RONALD P | Berg Technology, Inc | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 011554 | /0156 | |
Feb 12 2001 | NORTHEY, WILLIAM A | Berg Technology, Inc | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 011554 | /0156 | |
Feb 13 2001 | INGRAM, DEBORAH A | Berg Technology, Inc | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 011554 | /0156 | |
Sep 30 2009 | FCI Americas Technology, Inc | FCI Americas Technology LLC | CONVERSION TO LLC | 026064 | /0573 |
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